Thursday, January 29, 2009

Coffee Messiah challenged us with theme Thursday. This week's theme is the kitchen. I don't have pictures of soups, muffins, cookies or cakes. So, I have selected a poem that conveys the importance of the kitchen.

Monday, January 26, 2009

Yesterday my two youngest grandchildren were here to visit with their mother. The boys are 6 and 3 years old. They brought their saucer sleds to try out the hills their mother and her siblings had used when they were children. To our dismay they went sledding in places my children had never sled, like down the front slope. They had the time of their lives. Then they followed that up by climbing up the back hill and onto some of the large rocks. From that vantage point the youngest one felt he was king of the world. It was so much fun and refreshing to see how much fun with abandonment children can have.

Monday, January 19, 2009

While I was in Texas I went to the movies with DeboHobo to see The Curious Case of Benjamin Button. I'm not to sure how long the movie is, but I would guess over ninety minutes. The whole time the movie was exciting and it kept my interest. The outstanding thing for me about this movie is the makeup for the aged Brad Pitt. To my surprise in the credits I saw the movie was based on a short story written by F. Scott Fitzgerald.

Because I am an avid reader, I went to my local library and checked out Six Tales of the Jazz Age by F. Scott Fitzgerald. Included in those tales is The Curious Case of Benjamin Button. The short story is twenty-three pages long. Well, I read the tale last night and all I can say is the screenwriter definitely used a writer's license. We all know most movies are not the same as the original story, and some come fairly close, but this was quite a leap from the book.

The bottom line is both the movie and the short story are interesting and I would recommend both. The order you choose to partake is up to you, but for this one I would say movie first and than the short story.

Sunday, January 18, 2009

I have just finished reading Memory Keeper's Daughter by Kim Edwards. I thought it was a good read, because you wanted to know the outcome. The one thing I found at fault with the novel was the fact that it went on and on as to whether the knowledge that the baby daughter had not died at birth would be disclosed to her mother and brother. Than all of a sudden the novel winds up with them being informed.

The strong message seen in this novel is the price of secrets. Secrets not only hurt the one who is keeping the secret, but they also hurt the ones they are trying to protect.

Wednesday, January 14, 2009

I have always loved the poetry of Robert Frost. I don't know why, maybe its because he was a New Englander the same as I. These two poems: Stopping by the Woods on a Snowy Evening and Road Not Taken are my most favorite of his writings.

The first poem was introduced to me when I was in high school and has stuck with me ever since. It's one of the poems I had to memorize that I still remember. And I relate to it everytime it snows and I see the woods where I live filling up with falling snow.

The second poem relates to how I have always lived my life with no apologies or regrets. And again I was introduced to it while I was in high school.

STOPPING BY THE WOODS ON A SNOWY EVENINGBy Robert Frost

Whose woods these are I think I know, His house is in the village though.He will not see me stopping here,To watch his woods fill up with snow.

My little horse must think it queer,To stop without a farmhouse near,Between the woods and frozen lake,The darkest evening of the year.

He gives his harness bells a shake,To ask if there is some mistake.The only other sound's the sweep,Of easy wind and downy flake.

The woods are lovely, dark and deep,But I have promises to keep,And miles to go before I sleep,And miles to go before I sleep.

Road Not TakenBy Robert Frost

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,And sorry I could not travel bothAnd be one traveler, long I stoodAnd looked down one as far as I couldTo where it bent in the undergrowth;

Then took the other, as just as fair,And having perhaps the better claim,Because it was grassy and wanted wear;Though as for that the passing thereHad worn them really about the same,

And both that morning equally layIn leaves no step had trodden black.Oh, I kept the first for another day!Yet knowing how way leads on to way,I doubted if I should ever come back.

I shall be telling this with a sighSomewhere ages and ages hence:Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—I took the one less traveled by,And that has made all the difference.

Monday, January 12, 2009

We didn't get the amount of snow that had been forecast, but we did get about four inches of dry fluffy snow. As the fine snow was falling everything was quiet and still until a couple of people decided to ride up and down the road on their snowmobiles, but that didn't last that long. It made for a lovely evening to curl up under a throw with a good book(The Memory Keepers Daughter) and large cup of vanilla hazelnut tea in the livingroom while candles were burning in the fireplace.

From time to time during and after the snowstorm I took pictures mostly of the angel sitting on a bench in one of my many flower gardens.

Today after the snowstorm we had the bluest sunny skies. The temperature was in the low 30s perfect for outdoor activities. The plowman came early, so I only had in front of the garage door and the front walkway to shovel.

Friday, January 9, 2009

Today it was cold, but sunny with a beautiful blue sky. So I bundled up, walked down the driveway to pickup the mail and took a short walk. Taking along the camera I was able to capture several sites: babbling brook, lichen covered rock coated with ice, bittersweet berries and the long driveway home. Tomorrow we are expecting eight to ten inches of snow. YEAH!

Tuesday, January 6, 2009

Yesterday our temperature was in a comfortable 40 degree range. I had some errands to run downtown and that gave me an opportunity to take a couple of pictures of our quaint downtown. I didn't photograph the usual pictures of our bandstand or of the military tank that are on the South Green. Instead I opted for the First Congregatioal Church and the christmas decorated lamplights on the North Green. As you can see we still have some snow on the ground.

Currently it is snowing than it will be followed with freezing rain. I don't have to go anywhere tomorrow, so I can just sit back and enjoy the scenery.

Sunday, January 4, 2009

Well I arrived back in CT on Saturday. Spent the night at my youngest daughter's house. Now I'm at home in my own living room, listening to Christmas music and enjoying the few decorations I had put up before going off to Texas for three weeks. After all Christmas is not over until January 7th. I believe the 12th day of Christmas is January 6th also known as the Three Kings Day.

It is cold today in the low 30s. The sun is shining brightly. There is snow on the ground. The plowman had been here while I was away. Now I need to find out how many times he had to come while I was away to find out how much my wallet has been emptied. But, I was able to drive up my driveway(250 feet up the side of a hill) when I arrived here at the house and that is all that really matters.

Friday, January 2, 2009

New Year's Eve was spent with Debo Hobo, my son and daughter-in-law. We made the rounds of different establishments in Shops at Legacy. We had a reveling good time. When we got home we had bowls of Green Split Peas Soup I had made with the left over Christmas ham.

Than, for New Year's day I was recruited to make Lasagna(two pans) and Garlic Bread. I had the expert help of Debo Hobo as my sous chef. She loves to chop and dice in the kitchen. It must have been good because they ate just about all of it.

Well tomorrow I fly back to CT after being here in TX for three weeks. Back to reality for me; cold, snow, ice, and freezing rain.

About Me

I believe a person should live their life to the fullest in the Lord, not merely exist.
The things I love to do are studying the Bible, travelling, photography, scrapbooking, gardening and reading. Since retiring in January 2007 I now have time to enjoy all of these things.